Hydrogenated Starch Hydrolysates are the most in thing in artificial sweetener business these days. Thanks to the ‘low-carb craze’ that is sweeping the calorie-conscious people around the world. Specifically if you are buying organic sugar-free candies, you're sure to see Hydrogenated Starch Hydrolysates on the ingredient lists. They are basically pleasant tasting, low-calorie, bulk sweeteners used in a variety of products. Hydrogenated Starch Hydrolysates or HSH, as they are popularly known, are exceptionally well suited for sugar-free candies because they do not crystallize and blend well with all kind of flavors. For this reason, today it is being used in everything from baked goods to mouthwashes or any other “non-sugar-added” products.

Hydrogenated Starch Hydrolysates are a kind of organic hydrogenated glucose syrups, which are composed of varying distributions of sorbitol, maltitol, and higher molecular weight polymers. These generally refer to syrups containing less than 50% maltitol and are categorized as non-crystallizing solutions with a caloric value of 3.0 calories/gram on a dry basis. The sweetness varies from 40% to 90% of the sweetness of sugar. In terms of organic chemical composition, Hydrogenated Starch Hydrolysates belong to an important group of non-sugar sweeteners known as the Polyols. Unlike high potency sweeteners like aspartame, Polyols are sugar-free sweeteners consisting of carbohydrates. These are generally less sweet than sucrose but have similar bulk properties to serve as sugar-free carriers for flavors, colors and enzymes. Moreover, the compositions of organicHydrogenated Starch Hydrolysates can be manipulated to satisfy the varied requirements of sweetness, viscosity and humectancy in the final product.

Hydrogenated Starch Hydrolysates are produced by the partial hydrolysis of corn, wheat or potato starch and subsequent hydrogenation of the hydrolysate at high temperature under pressure. These organic sweetening agents can withstand high temperatures without browning. First developed by a Swedish company in the 1960's, Hydrogenated Starch Hydrolysates are being used by the food industry for many years, especially in confectionery products. With time, they have become important food ingredients because of their sweetness, low cariogenic potential, and useful functional properties. In terms of health benefits, these organic sugar-substitutes are not only best friends of diabetic and diet conscious people but also children. This claim is justified by the fact that most oral bacteria cannot metabolize Hydrogenated Starch Hydrolysates, so they do not promote tooth decay.